at the University of Cambridge, and I’m going to consider the question why you should

study law if you don’t want to become a lawyer.

A lot of people who study Law at University do so because they want to become practising

lawyers, whether barristers or solicitors. But it is not necessary to read Law at University

to become a practising lawyer. Equally, studying Law at University is a legitimate subject

for academic study even if you definitely do not want to become a lawyer or think that

you may not become a practising lawyer. That is because the study of Law at University

is not a vocational subject; it is an academic subject and an intellectual discipline. Even

those students who study Law at University intending to become practising lawyers are

required to do additional vocational training to prepare them for working either as a barrister

or a solicitor; for them the study of Law at University by itself is not sufficient

to train them to become lawyers. So why do such students study law at University and

why do others study Law even if they don’t want to become a lawyer? The answer is fairly

similar in both cases, namely that studying Law at University trains the student to think

and write logically and clearly; enables the student to engage in the critical analysis

of the law; enables the student to engage in a wide variety of different academic disciplines;

and finally, it is interesting and intellectually stimulating.

Students who study law at Cambridge end up doing a wide variety of jobs, other than being

a practising lawyer or a teacher or researcher of law. The study of Law enables students

to acquire and develop skills and knowledge which will be of relevance to business, politics,

the civil service, charitable organisations, international non-governmental organisations,

banking, finance, journalism and much, much more.

So what are the advantages of studying Law at University generally and studying Law at

Cambridge specifically? First, breadth and depth of knowledge.

At Cambridge most Law students study 14 papers over three years. Seven of these are the foundation

papers which must be taken if a student wishes to practice law, but, even if not, they are

papers in subjects which are so fundamental to English law, such as crime, contract and

constitutional law, that they ought to be studied to get a good idea of what the law

is about. All students at Cambridge also study Roman

Law in the first year which is an excellent introduction to legal principles and legal

thinking. Law students then have a choice of 6 other

subjects from a very wide list of subjects. This enables them to specialise or to study

subjects which may relate to other academic disciplines, such as history, philosophy,

sociology, psychology, government and politics, international relations and economics.

Students with an expertise and interest in modern languages can also apply to go to one

of four European countries between the second and third year of their legal students and

study law in that foreign country, either in France, Germany, Spain or Holland.

Secondly, learning to think like a lawyer. Law is an academic discipline which enables

students to think like lawyers. This means that they need to develop skills in thinking

logically; in identifying issues in practical problems; in assessing evidence and in reaching

judgments. These are all skills which are of significance to a wide variety of different

jobs and professions. The advantage of the small group teaching system at Cambridge means

that students get a great deal of support from their teachers in being able to think

and analyse the law. You also get a great deal of support in developing legal writing

skills, which emphasises clarity of expression, conciseness and precision in the use of language;

again, skills which are of real benefit to many careers.

Thirdly, encouraging critical engagement. One of the real benefits of studying Law at

university is that the law is not taken at face value as something which is unchanging,

but rather is something which can moulded and developed. This may be through careful

interpretation of the rules or through careful assessment of old precedents to see how they

can be applied to new problems. But Law students also engage in discussions and thinking about

more radical reform of the law. Law students are encouraged to reflect on the law, to think

critically about the law, to consider whether the law is satisfactory, to identify the policies

which underpin particular rules and to suggest alternatives. Law is consequently a very important

and useful subject for students to study if they are interested in questions of justice,

rights, social policy and law reform. Fourthly, intellectual engagement.

Finally, students who study Law at University engage in an academic discipline with a very

long pedigree. They discuss the work of ancient philosophers and modern theorists; they examine

the meaning of justice; they consider the operation of financial markets, corporations

and commerce; they engage with the operation of law in a European and in a global arena;

they analyse social policy and change. Aristotle said that the ‘Law is reason free

from passion.’ He was half right. The law is reason, but it is full of passion.

If you want to find out more about studying law at the University of Cambridge, you can

find a lot more information on the Law Faculty website.